Improvement in washing-machines



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SAMUEL S.l MIDDLEKAUFF, lOF HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND.

Leners Patent No. 109,924, dated December e, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT iN' wAsH'lNGLMAcHINEs.

. The Schedule rel'erred to in these Letten Patent and makingprt of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. MDDLEKAIUFF, of'- mounted in a box, and working upon a corrugated bottom in the same; and

The improvement consists in the application of two pair of springs, so arranged that one pair-v raises the ycylinder whenever it is released, and the other pair permits the cylinder, when depressed, to yield upward, and thereby conform to the varying thicknessy ot' the clothes.

Figure lis a perspective view of my improved majchine, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the middle of the same.

The body A of' my machine I construct of anysuitable form, mount it on legs, and secure inside, at each end, an inclined corrugated board, a, andv between the lower edges of the boa-rds mount transverse rollers b b, and also secure to the outer and vopposite sides two upright slotted arms or posts c, all as shown in iigs. l'

and 2.

The rubbng-cylimler, B, 'I construct of two end pieces or boards mounted 011 a shaft, O, and connected by corrugated strips, d, scoured to their peripheries.

The ends ot' the shaft O project beyond the ends'of the cylinder 'so as to form journals i, and the end boards ofthe latter are formed with arms, e, connected by a cross-bar, j'.

.lhe cylinder I mount in the body, with its journals in the slotted arms', so that, by grasping bar f, the cylinder can be turned on its journals.

In the upper end of v,each post o I secure a block, 9,

and on the ends of the journals@ I place blocks 71., and then connect the blocks g and h by strong spiral springs j, which serve to raise the cylinder and keep it always in an elevated position, excepting when forcibly depressed. l

The blocks g are held by pins L inserted into holes in the post, and for the purpose of rendering the blocks adjustable, so as to vary the tension of'the springs, a series of the pin-holes is made in cach post, as shown in tig. 1.

To Ithe lower side of each block h I secure one end )f a spiral spring, s, stronger than the spring above,

and to the lower end of each spring j'I secure a rodA or bar, Z, having a series of holes through its lower end.

Across, below the body, I place a bar, m, having a hole through each end, and insert the ends of rods l through said holes, and secure them by pins u, as

shown in figs. 1 and 2. A

Under one end of the body I mount a'tran'sverse rockshaft, o, provided atone end with a hand-lever,

- p, and at the middle with an arm, @the end of which enters a mort-isc in bar m, as shown in iig. 2.

s By operating the lever 11 the arm 'r is caused to depress the bar m., and through the medium of rods Zand springs s, to draw down the cylinder, so as to bear on the rollers b, or the clothes thereon.

It will be observed that while the cylinder is in this manner held firmly down, so asto bea-r strongly upon the clothes placed under it, still the springs s will yield and permit it to rise -when thick portions o1' masses of -f clothes are carried under it.

B y this arrangement all tearing of the clothes and breakage ot' buttons are avoided, and an elastic," orA yielding pressure maintained on the clothes.

The blocks handrodsl I connect by straps t, of' such length that, while they permit the springs s to yield 0r stretch as far as necessary, they prevent themv from being strained or broken by excessive tension.

In operating the machine the clothes are4 introduced below the cylinder, .which is held up by springs j for the purpose, and the' cylinder depressed by turning lever p, and then the cylinder operated by grasping bar f and urgingit back and forth. When the clothes have been rubbed suiiioiently, the lever p is released, and the springs j elevate the cylinder, so that the clothes can be readily removed.4

Having thus described myinvention,

What I claim, is- I l. The cylinder B, having the springs j and s arranged as described, incombination with the rollers b, or their equivalent, all mounted in a suitable'box or body,'A,` as set forth.

2. The rock-shaft o, having the lever'pand arm r I attached, in combination with the. cross-bar m and vertical rods l, connected by the springs s to the sliding journal-boxes h, having'the cylinder-shaft O mounted therein, substantially as described.

SAMUEL S. IVIIDDLEKAUFF,v

\Vitnesses:

H. B. MUNN, PHIL. T. DODGE. 

